The Benefits of Hiring a Professional Short Let Manager

For those new to the task, hosting on platforms like Airbnb or Booking.com and navigating the intricacies of the short let property market can be a complex task. However, property management support provided by a professional short let manager like SevenStays can really help new hosts get to grips with everything that’s required, as well as easing the burden on new and experienced hosts alike.

Before hosts can really make use of all of the support that a professional short let manager has to offer though, it’s important to understand the true scope of their role and the services they can provide. The short-letting experts at SevenStays have put together this blog to help hosts understand exactly how teams like ours can assist them, and explain the benefits that can be had when hosts partner with us. Let’s take a look.

What is a Professional Short Let Manager?

A professional short let manager, or short-term rental manager, essentially bridges the gap between property owners and their guests. They can be individuals or teams of people – but whatever structure they operate under professional short let managers take on the responsibility of helping hosts keep their properties ready for letting, helping to look after guests when the property is in use, marketing the property, and generally ensuring smooth operations on a daily basis.

The Support a Professional Short Let Manager Can Provide

The support a short let manager provides can be quite wide-reaching. If they offer a comprehensive set of support services – as we do – then they will be able to handle everything from marketing the property to managing bookings, addressing guest inquiries, and providing post-stay services. Let’s take a closer look at those services now.

Market and Audience Analysis

A top-quality short let manager should provide marketing and audience analysis services. What kinds of people are likely to enjoy (or need) your property? What kinds of ambiance, facilities or features are popular with this audience? Is the location where your property is located a holiday letting or business travel market? A good manager will be able to research where necessary and then answer all of these questions with confidence.

Listing Creation and Pricing Management

After identifying the audiences and demographics you should be targeting, good managers will then use their market knowledge and research to market your property effectively on your platform(s) of choice. To do this they will create and manage listings designed to appeal to your target audience(s) on the platforms where your property can be found, using professional photographs and compelling descriptions to attract potential guests.

In addition they should also be able to set competitive rental rates for your property, and adjust them in line with known busy or quiet periods in the area, thereby helping to ensure maximised rental revenue from each booking and high occupancy rates.

Guest Communication and Support

A good short let manager will also be able to handle all guest communication, from initial booking arrangements to fielding questions from guests while they’re staying at your property, and even post-stay follow-ups. This support helps to ensure that guests have an excellent experience, that they feel listened to throughout their stay, and that any issues which arise are addressed promptly and professionally. Lastly, it shouldn’t be forgotten that this kind of support can go a long way to boosting guest satisfaction and encouraging repeat bookings.

Property Maintenance and Upkeep

Making sure that your property is always ready for rental is one of the core tasks that a short let manager should be performing for their client hosts. As part of this task they should arrange for post-check-out cleaning and restocking (and perhaps even a post-check-out maintenance inspection), coordinate cleaning schedules, arrange for and manage any repairs or maintenance that may be required, and deal with any unexpected issues promptly.

Compliance and Risk Management

Thanks to their knowledge of the short let industry, a short let manager may also assist with matters of regulatory compliance and risk management for your property. They should understand the regulations related to short let properties and keep up with changes to those regulations. As a result, they should be able to help hosts make sure that their property adheres to all applicable laws and guidelines, and provide advice on any potential risks that they may have identified or areas where your property may not meet legal requirements – including what to do about that.

The Benefits of Professional Short Let Management for Hosts

Hiring a professional short let manager can provide numerous benefits to a host, including the following:

Time and Effort Savings

Because your short let manager should be taking care of all the important, but sometimes tedious and time-consuming tasks associated with hosting on a short-let platform, you should have more time to focus on other important matters.

Increased Occupancy Rates

With their marketing expertise, short let managers can increase your property’s visibility, leading to higher occupancy rates.

Efficient Pricing Strategy

Because they should be able to market trends and rental rates, a good short let manager should also be able to ensure that a property is competitively priced at all times, boosting the host’s return on investment.

Enhanced Guest Experience

The support of a good short let manager will help the host to give guests a hassle-free and enjoyable experience when staying at their property. This can then lead to positive reviews, the spread of positive word-of-mouth, and a greater number of bookings and repeat bookings.

Assurance of Regulatory Compliance

The in-depth knowledge of the rules and regulations that must be obeyed when hosting on platforms like Airbnb can really give a host increased peace of mind, and help to ensure that their property meets those rules.

Are You Ready to Start Hosting With The Support of a Short Let Manager?

No problem – you can sign up here! And if you’d like more information about the support that the SevenStays team can provide, and how it can relate to your property’s unique circumstances, why not contact us today?